{UAH} Privatization Has Done Wonders For The Job Market- NRM National Chairman Kyambogo

Office Of The NRM National Chairman Kyambogo

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Social media is awash with a tornado of criticism and queries directed at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) establishment. Government service requires more...

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Privatization has done wonders for the job market - Office of The NRM National Chairman Kyambogo

Social media is awash with a tornado of criticism and queries directed at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) establishment. Government service requires more talking and walking the talk in a bid to satisfy all. NRM is accused of so many things, many a time not based on reality or facts. It's m...

Privatization Has Done Wonders For The Job Market

By Milly Babirye Babalanda

National Chairman Kyambogo   3 hours ago

 0 384  3 minutes read

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Social media is awash with a tornado of criticism and queries directed at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) establishment. Government service requires more talking and walking the talk in a bid to satisfy all. NRM is accused of so many things, many a time not based on reality or facts. It's my pleasure to respond to such queries as the ones I saw off a list posted by someone on Facebook.

The first charge was that NRM privatized all national assets and businesses, and stripped Uganda of its identity. The background to privatization is that following years of political turmoil during which Uganda almost ground to a halt, the NRM government, on ascending to power, launched the Economic Recovery Program (ERP) in 1987. In 1991, Government went on to issue a policy statement on Public Enterprise Reform and Divestiture (PERD) which out lined the government's privatization strategy.
Privatization was adopted to correct a number of bottlenecks existing at the time. There was gross imbalance of trade with other countries and absence of essential goods like sugar, soap and salt. Even things like matchboxes and plastics were imported. At the core of the problem was that national enterprises had been riddled with inefficiency due to mismanagement as with other affairs of the country before 1986.
Since then, private has been partly responsible for the recovery of the economy due to increased production efficiency and competitiveness. Indigenous and foreign investors have competed for opportunities available, from which there have been immense benefits in terms of increase and diversification in output, revenue in form of taxes and employment along the value chain. The private sector you hear talked about all the time in economic reports gained it profile due to emphasis on profit-driven enterprise that would ensure that corporations and parastatals function optimally, in the very least, and maximally at best. Government officials and public servants who were in charge of state enterprises in the past were corrupt and in it for the job and career rather than for productivity.
Once the private sector became vibrant, the public sector had to pull up its socks; it had to shape up to survive because services could be outsourced if public servants fell short. Regulating the private sector alone created many openings in the public sector. The "identity" the questioner was talking about was an identity of collective poverty, underproduction, inefficiency and near zero tax collection. Therefore, whatever situation obtains today is incomparable to where we have come from.
For anyone to hate NRM despite taking such measures to demystify and open up the economy is a contradiction. NRM should be appreciated and loved for this wise thinking and dully supported. What everyone should ask is "what can I contribute to this economy for fellow Ugandans to have jobs and to earn more foreign exchange?" People should also be the eyes of Government so that privatized entities do not go to waste.
It so happens that industries set up these days have tended to be more technology-intensive; a factory that previously employed thousands of workers now employs hundreds or less. But Ugandans should strive to acquire the requisite competences not to lose out on the opportunities.
The other complaint is that graduates leave university and college without any hope for finding a job! That the number of graduates has shot up is not a bad thing at all. Even when some of them have no jobs (yet), they are employable-in both private and public sector. The challenge here, and what is be reiterated over and over until we get where we want to be, is for the education system to emphasize technical skills; there can be a bit of theory but the big part of the learning process should be on attaining practical know-how. If one doesn't acquire skills, it doesn't matter which party is in power; they will still miss out.
In the public sector, there are about 350, 000 jobs. This means that for every 115 people, one is in Government service. The ratio is not alarming since the majority of the population is not yet of working age. So, based on the population of working adults, at least every family has someone representing them in Government employment. But opportunities are increasing with the creation of more administrative units at all levels. NRM is also opening up (new) sectors such as oil and gas, while investing in mega infrastructure projects that create immediate jobs and spur economic growth in the long run.
The NRM Government has opened the eyes of young Ugandans and as we talk they are leading transformation in all sectors. I expect to hear from many youths who have success stories to tell and who love NRM for enabling them explore their potential thanks to the able leadership of H.E President Yoweri Museveni, the party's National Chairman.
The author is a Personal Assistant to the National Chairman, NRM, and Senior Presidential Advisor

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